FINAL: Ole Miss 30, Arkansas 27

POSTGAME

We are bouncing along I-630 right now headed back. The win was the Rebels’ first on the SEC road since beating Vanderbilt 23-7 in October of 2009.

Here’s what Hugh Freeze had to say postgame.

 

Here’s the Ole Miss on-field celebration after Bryson Rose knocked through 31-yard game-winning field goal.

Some final numbers that caught my eye.

Ole Miss gave up 464 yards, but Arkansas reached the red zone just four times, and two of those drives ended with field goals.

Against a very good quarterback, an Ole Miss secondary that had three freshmen playing extensively had 10 pass break-ups to Arkansas three.

The Rebels’ trend of strong defense in the third quarter continued. Arkansas did not score in the third quarter, and in three SEC games, the Rebels have allowed only three third-quarter points.

Arkansas tailback Dennis Johnson had 160 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries against Ole Miss in Oxford last year. He duplicated that effort today with 161 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries. Unlike last year, the Rebels kept Johnson from breaking really long run. His long gain of the day was 21 yards.

Ole Miss linebacker Denzel Nkemdiche called Johnson a great back and said he was just really hard to tackle.

Johnson did a great job of bouncing the play outside when the Rebels had things bunched up in the hole, and that speaks to a lack of speed on the Ole Miss defense that Freeze and his staff are trying to address in recruiting.

Freshman defensive back Mike Hilton responded to his concussion late in the Auburn game with six tackles and two pass break-ups, another impressive day for Hilton.

Freeze called Arkansas’ defensive line “dominant.” After back-to-back 100-yard rushing games, Jeff Scott was held in check with 50 net yards on 21 carries, an average rush of 2.4 yards. Scott contributed in other ways, including the big catch on the winning field goal drive.

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HALFTIME

Quite a turnaround from the early first quarter when the Hogs looked dominant on two drives.

Bo Wallace has two turnovers, but the Razorbacks have scored on neither. The Rebels have played pretty good defense from the late first quarter on. They’ve missed several chances at interceptions, though they did get one, as Charles Sawyer’s pick at the 5 ended a Razorbacks scoring threat.

Sawyer also has a blocked punt, plus the return, and a PBU. If he has a second half like the first he would be a strong SEC POW candidate.

Wallace has been good when he’s held the ball. He’s 14-for-19 passing, 135 yards, a TD to Vince Sanders, Sanders first of the year, and the pick, which was a short-armed throw with a guy in his face.

The Rebels have been outgained 292-213. Arkansas’ scoring drives have been 85 and 95 yards. On the latter, which gave the Hogs a 17-14 lead, the Rebels gave up a third-and-9 from the Arkansas 6 with a 17-yard run and a fourth-and-3 on the Ole Miss end, to the tight end Chris Gragg. He’s a big weapon in the Arkansas offense. This is Gragg’s first game back from injury, and he limped off after the fourth-down play. No word on his status.

Ole Miss standouts: Jeff Scott, 11 carries, 45 yards, TD; Barry Brunetti, 2 carries, 2 yards, TD; Randall Mackey (at receiver), 5 catches, 64 yards; Vince Sanders; 5 catches, 40 yards TD.

Arkansas QB Tyler Wilson is 15-for-28, 196 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT. RB Dennis Johnson, who went over the 100-yard mark against Ole Miss last year, 13 carries, 71 yards.

 

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The Rebels and Razorbacks are on the field for warm-ups. Starting line-ups are being announced. The Arkansas line-up will not include Brandon Mitchell, the team’s third-leading receiver, who has been suspended for violation of team rules the school announced moments ago.

Mitchell has only 15 catches this season. It would be of greater impact if Cobi Hamilton (46 catches, 107.7 ypg) had run afoul of team rules.

The Rebels are in their road white shirts with traditional gray. Arkansas is in the mod looking charcoal gray, cardinal red mix.

Here’s War Memorial a few minutes ago.

I will have updates on Twitter throughout the game and will be back here at halftime and after the game.